On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:17
We hate weakness! We hide our flaws! From the concealer in our make up kits, the spanks we wear underneath our clothes, to the perfect photo of our house on social media! We never picture the mess, the love handles or the wrinkles. But over the last two years, I have been reminded over and over again that it is in our brokenness and weakness that God can use us more than ever. He brings beauty from ashes (Is. 61:3) like only He could. The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 2:10 that in our weakness He is made strong. Just like the picture in this blog...stained glass...small pieces of broken glass when placed together by the master artist creates something so beautiful! Then add the light shining through it...and it is spectacular!!! What can we learn from this?
We are ALL broken. It doesn't matter, if we have lived through a tragedy, felt the pain of loss, the rejection of divorce, experienced the devastation of abuse, or felt the deep regret of our own bad choices. We all know down deep inside, no matter how put together we look, we are B_R_O_K_E_N! Many of us hide it...behind busyness, behind humor, under prescription drugs or pearly white, educated smiles but we all have a fear that one day someone will "out us" and we will be known!
But can I tell you something...let go!!! Admit it and give that brokenness to God! He can put you back together in a beautiful picture that you can not even begin to dream of, BUT, He won't do it until you give it to Him. God is a gentleman - not a controller. He will not move until you invite Him to do so.
Then as He is healing you...allow Him to shine light into it and just like this beautiful stain glass window...the beauty not the mess will shine through!
For most of you...you did not know my family until after the accident that took my husband to heaven. It was not in my amazing 27 years "still in love" marriage, 3 beautiful kids that loved Jesus, growing ministry and successful business that you found the impact of my testimony. It is in the brokenness, grief and pain that you have seen Jesus more. It wasn't easy but I can tell you beyond any shadow of doubt that it has been in my obedience to let Him have the broken peices that I have found healing too! I have been amazed over and over how God can take something so painful and bring healing and purpose!
Let me encourage you as we finish out 2018...please don't carry your brokenness into 2019. Give it to Jesus and let Him create something beautiful and let Him redeem your story by shining light through it so all the world can see what the King of Kings and the Prince of Peace can do with BROKEN.
- MY PRAYER -
Jesus, redeem our stories. Take the broken pieces of our life and use it for you glory. We release it. We trust you. Give us purpose in our pain. A message from our mess. A testimony in our testing. Happy birthday Jesus! Your present from us today is broken but I know only you can fix it!